


Sororal Love

by Leni



Category: Addams Family - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, High School, Poison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-03 15:16:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2855510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When all is said and done, they are family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sororal Love

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Classics_Lover at [Christmas Request Time](http://kitteninthedark.livejournal.com/234528.html). Prompt: **[warm](http://kitteninthedark.livejournal.com/234528.html?thread=1789472#t1789472;).**

Wednesday cannot understand why their parents insist on sending them to public school, when there are much more interesting things to learn in Mother's garden and Grandmother's kitchen, and even Pugsley would do better under Uncle Fester's supervision.

But Father, as proud to be an Addams as he is, still loves to break what he terms as useless traditions. He will not be held back by ancient fears, he says. It's been decades since a family member was grabbed off the streets to be burned or hanged, just because their ways were different from the norm! It's a new world, and an Addams can walk freely wherever they wish - and they will!

Somehow, this translates into Wednesday and Pugsley climbing onto the limo every morning and being chauffeured to school by an ever unimpressed Lurch.

That first year, Mother tries to talk Father back into letting them stay at home and apprentice from their elders like normal, well-adjusted children did. Father bellowed that the world had changed, and that _his_ children would have every advantage.

Even after the fifth time Pugsley is sent home for biting a classmate, Father wouldn't budge.

Mother sighs, knowing when pressing would upset the balance of a healthy marriage, and tells Pugsley to follow her sister's example.

(Wednesday's classmates tend to come down with strange fevers and minor stomach ailments.)

Pugsley resists for a while. He is bigger and stronger than the other kids in his class, and little children outside their family are so easily intimidated... But ruling through fear alone is _not_ the Addams way, and soon Father and Uncle Fester take him on a men-only weekend trip.

"They deserved it," Wednesday says, referring to the kids who'd gone wailing to the teacher instead of seeking retribution like any of her cousins would have done.

"Probably so," Mother says, busy arranging for the ritual to honor Hecate they've decided to hold while the males are gone. "But even if your father wishes for you to understand the outside world, he never meant for either of you to forget the values of this family. Scaring people into compliance--" she wrinkles her nose at the notion. "It won't do."

"We are more subtle than that," Grandma agrees, from where she's cutting the herbs that will burn as incense later, to please the goddess, "and when we strike, we strike true and with no mercy." She winks at Wednesday, and her mother gives into a little proud smile. "But that boy..." Grandma continues, shaking her head. "He's too sweet."

After the men return, Pugsley kept his teeth to himself.

And Grandma is proved right.

It takes a few years, but eventually the children who had once been terrified of her older brother learn that he will do little other than growl and grunt at them.

Children are cruel.

Wednesday shouldn't care. Addams must learn how to stand on their own against outside society. That's what makes them strong, generation after generation. But they are _family_ , and that's what makes them _Addams_.

On the day Pugsley can't even be interested into playing death row prisoner to her electric chair, she swallows and offers to take the seat instead. When Pugsley shakes his head and shuffles on to his room, bolting the door against her, Wednesday snaps.

It's not sororal love that drives her to raid Grandma's secret stash.

It's something sharper and deadlier, and Wednesday almost breaks into a grin when she realizes it's closely related to vengeance.

It warms her while she pours and measures, and plans every detail before putting them into action.

Over the next week, one by one the girls of Pugsley's year twist and moan in their seats, their insides twisting in cramps that make them wish for their periods to arrive; meanwhile, the boys who have called her brother names are seen rushing to the infirmary in tears, clutching their crotches.

The school blames the cafeteria food.

Grandma knows better, and after scolding Wednesday for taking without permission, she beams proudly. "And she didn't even kill anybody," she comments to Mother when she hears of all the suffering in the school corridors, and Mother presses her lips together not to smile as well.

Father isn't as pleased, but he understands.

"Next time, come to me," he pleads.

Wednesday and Pugsley look at each other - sharing years of understanding as they push each other off roofs and stairs, and plant bombs under their beds - and shake their heads.

Their father stares at them for a long moment, and then breaks into laughter. "All right, then. Blood will out, as it always has," he says, looking at them fondly.

"If we told you the things we did!" Uncle Fester snickers.

Father hushes him, and tries a stern look next. "But don't get caught again!"

That, they can promise.

Later that night, Pugsley comes to Wednesday's room, his toy guillotine in his hands. They are too old to play with her dolls, but Wednesday realizes that's not why he's come. "Here," he says, shoving his prized possession toward her.

Wednesday shakes her head. "Next time, you can try the potions first," she tells him, aware that between siblings they don't need such words as 'thank you' or 'you're welcome'. "It was... uncomfortable... to do that by myself."

Pugsley doesn't hesitate before nodding, but he adds, "I'll try to be better."

"Just be an Addams," Wednesday says.

Several of their aunts and uncles are sweet people, going through life without scaring others. Not all Addams need to stand larger than life, putting terror in the hearts of their neighbors. 

That's what little sisters are for.

 

The End  
25/12/14


End file.
